2019 Te Mata Estate Cabernet/Merlot Coleraine
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Tasting notes
The 2019 Coleraine is very youthful, very intense on the nose with blackberries, cassis, graphite and a subtle marine influence that comes through with time in the glass. Again, this has fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins: sapid liquorice tinged black fruit laced with espresso towards the finish. Still quite primal, it is a stocky Coleraine with a muscular finish that will need to be tamed with time. Tasted from a bottle shipped directly from the estate at the Coleraine vertical in London.
Critic scores
Neal Martin
Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2019 Coleraine offers a kaleidoscopic spectrum of complexity here, with sweet tobacco, graphite, nori, iodine, fresh blood, pomegranate molasses, layers of cassis, dark chocolate, raspberry seed and sweet roasted beetroot. This is the wine at its most complete; there is everything from leaf, earth, fruit and spice. An array of characters that harness an equal array of emotions is ultimately a wine I want to drink and enjoy. Without a doubt, this is New Zealand's greatest Cabernet blend, and it more than holds its own on a global stage. It's super and comes warmly recommended. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.
I’m really excited about the 2019 Coleraine – and you should be too. This stylish Cabernet-dominant blend offers precision and purity. A splash of Cabernet Franc brings a chic herbal twist to the sweet black currant fruit, which combines with mocha, mushrooms and festive spices on the long, elegant finish. There's just the right amount of padding, adding charm to this focused and concentrated blend. It has a rich tannic structure but it's in proportion with the wine, holding the mouth with resolved, finely extracted texture. Sophisticated stuff.